Sarah Mitchell

Professional Pet Behaviorist

I'm Sarah Mitchell, your dedicated guide to understanding and improving your pet's behavior. As a Certified Pet Behavior Consultant (CPBC), I've spent years working closely...

Why do dogs lick the air? Just about every dog will do it at one time or another. While it is normal for them to do this, there are some other reasons why they do it that you might not have thought about. Some of the reasons why dogs will do this are to avoid being late for work, to greet friends and family, to mark their territory, to clean themselves, and also to show others that they are confident and dominant.

This can be very dangerous to a puppy or dog – that has a fear of being left alone. When a dog is left by himself, he may lick to mark his territory, and then try to go into the house where he thinks his family is. Also, if a dog is left alone he may chew things, bite furniture, bark incessantly, and many other damaging things. For these reasons, when your dog does lick the air it is important that you take him to the vet immediately.

There are several reasons why do dogs lick the air – and there is no cure for this type of behavior. The most common is that the dog might be trying to greet a new person or a new animal, and this behavior is often very cute to watch. If your dog has this problem, the sooner you get him to the vet the better, as there may be some serious underlying problems that require medical attention.

When your dog does start licking the air – there are several things you can do at home to help prevent him from doing this in the future. The first thing that you should do is to create an environment for your new puppy or dog that is free from distractions. If you have a lot of TV or radio equipment nearby you should put them up or take them away from your pet. This will prevent him from becoming distracted and possibly biting or licking someone while he is watching TV.

If your dog does start licking the air frequently – one of the best things that you can do to help him control his compulsions is to set up a play area where he can be alone, but still have the ability to interact with you. This area should be relatively quiet, with few types of distraction. One way to accomplish this is to leave a TV or radio on when you are gone. Another thing you can do is to block the door leading into the play area with something like plastic tubing or yarn. This will give your puppy or dog something to concentrate on and hopefully keep him from getting distracted.

If you have questions about why do dogs lick the air – you may want to speak with your vet about this since this can be a symptom of another health issue. Your vet may suggest an exam and treatment for your pet, whether it is physical or mental, to rule out any type of medical problem that may be causing the air licking. He may even recommend talking to a vet about why do dogs lick the air, as it could be symptoms of a compulsive disorder.

If you do decide to talk with a vet about it, be sure to ask for his advice on whether or not your dog should be placed on anti-anxiety medication, since this has been known to cause air licking in pets.